week #29


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 The  Upside  Down  Kingdom  

week #29  

Week  #  29  

False  Prophets  and   Their  Fruits   “Recognizing  prophetic  

 impostors  is  not  always  easy,   but  Jesus  says  the  fruit  of   their  teaching  helps  us   evaluate  our  instructors.”  

Coram  Deo   “The  study  of  church   history,  our  church’s   confessions,  and   membership  in  a  good,   local  church  is  necessary  to   help  us  weed  out  the  good   teachers  from  the  bad.”  

Study   Open  It   Explore  It   Get  It  

“Beware  of  false  prophets,  who  come  to  you  in  sheep’s  clothing   but  inwardly  are  ravenous  wolves.  You  will  recognize  them  by   their  fruits”  (vv.  15–16a).    Matthew  7:15–20     False   Prophets  and  Their  Fruits       Following   His   call   for   us   to   pursue   the   narrow   way   that   leads   to   salvation   (Matt.   7:13–14),   Jesus   warns   us   to   beware   of   false   prophets   in   today’s   passage   (vv.   15–20).  Just  as  there  are  two  ways,   one   of   salvation   and   another   of   damnation,   so   too   are   there   only   two   kinds   of   teachers:   true   ones   and   false   ones.   Being   able   to   distinguish   these   teachers   from   one   another   is   vital   if   we   want   to   promote   our   spiritual   well-­‐being.   Otherwise,  false  prophets  will  lead   us  to  destruction.     Recognizing   prophetic   impostors   is   not   always   easy,   but   Jesus   says   the  fruit  of  their  teaching  helps  us   evaluate   our   instructors   (vv.   15–

16a).   Some   buckthorn   bushes   in   Palestine   produce   black   berries   that   look   like   grapes   from   a   distance,   and   certain   thistles   have   flowers   that   appear   to   be   figs.   However,   a   close   inspection  of  both  these  fruits  reveals   them   for   what   they   really   are   —   things   unfit   for   consumption.   Likewise,   we   must   examine   the   fruits   our   teachers’   produce   in   order   to   determine   the   nature   of   the   source   from  which  they  come  (vv.  16b–18).     Since   the   church’s   foundation   has   been   laid   (Eph.   2:19–21),   no   one   today  exercises  the  gift  of  prophecy  as   the   prophets   and   apostles   of   old   did.   Yet   the   prophetic   responsibility   to   explain   God’s   Word   to   the   people   remains,   and   teachers   are   obligated,  

like   the   prophets,   to   preach   true   doctrine   (Deut.   13:1–5;   Titus   2:1).   Therefore,   teachers   who   exhort   us   to   live   out   Jesus’   rules   for   kingdom   life   bear  good  fruit.  Sound  teachers  call  us   to   repent   (Matt.   5:3),   live   as   salt   and   light   (vv.   13–16),   recognize   our   inability   to   keep   God’s   law   under   our   own   power   (v.   20),   and   follow   Christ   wholeheartedly   (6:19–24).   True   teachers   never   knowingly   reject   Scripture’s   clear   teaching   (Gal.   1:8–9;   2  John  9).  John  Calvin  comments,  “All   doctrines   must   be   brought   to   the   Word   of   God   as   the   standard,   and   that,   in   judging   of   false   prophets,   the   rule  of  faith  holds  the  chief  place.”   Good   fruit   also   includes   purity   of   character   and   life.   This   does   not   mean  

 The  Upside  Down  Kingdom  

Week  #  29    

“The study of church history, our church’s confessions, and membership in a good, local church is necessary to help us weed out the good teachers from the bad.”

moral   perfection,   but   general   conformity   to   Christ.  

local  church  is  necessary  to  help  us  weed  out  the  good  

Those   whom   the   Father   calls   to   shepherd   His   flock  

teachers   from   the   bad.   Are   you   involved   in  

must   not   live   in   debauchery   (2   Peter   2).   They   must  

such  things?  1  

not   preach   and   practice   envy   or   divide   over   minor   matters  (1  Tim.  6:2b–5).  By  their  holy  conduct,  they   are   to   set   a   good   example   for   God’s   chosen   people   (4:12).      

   

Coram   Deo    (before  the  face  of  God)   Though   we   are   all   responsible   to   evaluate   our   teachers   by   the   fruit   of   their   teaching   and   lives,   it   does   not   necessarily   follow   that   this   evaluation   is   solely   an   individual   responsibility.   In   fact,   we   need   other   Christians   who   are   grounded   in   the   faith   to   help   us   do   this.   The   study   of   church   history,   our   church’s   confessions,   and   membership   in   a   good,   2  

 

Passages  for  Further  Study   1  Kings  22:1–40   Jeremiah  28   Matthew  24:10–1   Acts  20:28–35  

 

 The  Upside  Down  Kingdom    

Week  #  29      

Open It! 1. Describe  a  time  when  you  saw  an  advertisement   for   a   product   that   compelled   you   to   purchase   it   only  to  find  out  when  you  got  it  that  it  fell  short   of  what  was  promised.         2. Who   was   your   favorite   teacher   in   school?   What   made  that  teacher  different  from  the  others?  

Read  It  |  Matthew  7:15-­‐20   Read  the  entire  passage  before  proceeding  to  the  questions  below.    

Explore  It   1. For  who  are  we  to  be  on  the  lookout?       2. How  are  we  to  recognize  them  from  true  prophets?       3. What  makes  them  hard  to  discover  at  first?      

 

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 The  Upside  Down  Kingdom  

Week  #  29    

Get  It  

False teachers in the church

The Lord Jesus gives us a general warning against false teachers in the church. We are to "beware of false prophets." The connection between this passage and the preceding one is striking. Would we keep clear of this "broad way?" We must beware of false prophets. They will arise. They began in the days of the apostles. Even then the seeds of error were sown. They have appeared continually ever since. We must be prepared for them, and be on our guard.

This is a warning which is much needed. There are thousands who seem ready to believe anything in religion if they hear it from an ordained minister. They forget that clergymen may err as much as laymen. They are not infallible. Their teaching must be weighed in the balance of Holy Scripture. They are to be followed and believed, so long as their doctrine agrees with the Bible, but not a minute longer. We are to try them "by their fruits." Sound doctrine and holy living are the marks of true prophets. Let us remember this. Our minister's mistakes will not excuse our own. "If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch." What is the best safe-guard against false teaching? Beyond all doubt the regular study of the word of God, with prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit. The Bible was given to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm. 119:105.) The man who reads it aright will never be allowed greatly to err. It is neglect of the Bible which makes so many a prey to the first false teacher whom they hear. May we all bear in mind our Lord's warning! The world, the devil, and the flesh, are not the only dangers in the way of the Christian. There remains another yet, and that is the "false prophet," the wolf in sheep's clothing. Happy is he who prays over his Bible and knows the difference between truth and error in religion! There is a difference, and we are meant to know it, and use our knowledge. J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts

  1. Tell  about  a  time  when  you  heard  false  teaching.  What  was  taught  and  how  did  you  respond?         2. Why  is  it  significant  that  Jesus’  warning  about  false  prophets  comes  immediately  after  the  discussion  about   the  narrow  and  broad  gates?           3. Jesus  says  that  false  prophets  come  to  us  in  “sheep’s  clothing.”  What  disguises  might  they  wear  today?          

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4. What  are  some  popular  false  teachings  being  embraced  by  our  culture  today?      

 The  Upside  Down  Kingdom    

Week  #  29      

In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus addresses the future false prophets He knows will come. He talks about their appearance and their teachings. Both their appearance and teaching reveal through testing that they are false. He speaks of them as ravenous wolves who come to devour their prey. Jesus makes it clear that we must be on our guard at all times knowing that a healthy understanding of scripture is our only antidote and protection from false teaching. 5. Why   do   you   think   Jesus   chose   these   metaphors   to   describe  false  prophets?  What  do  these  images  reveal   about  the  seriousness  of  false  teaching?  

False   prophets  plague   the   church   because   they   can   easily   deceive   with   false   claims   and   mighty   works   (Mt   7:22;  24:24;  Re  19:20).  To  recognize  false  prophets,  the   ordinary   Christian   must   examine   the   way   they   live   and   their  message.  Do  their  behavior  and  character  conform   to  Christ  and  His  teaching?  Do  they  proclaim  only  what   people   want   to   hear   that   makes   life   easy   and   pleasurable   while   ignoring   the   demanding   and   difficult   requirements  of  discipleship?2      

        6. What  is  it  about  false  teachers  and  their  teaching  that   make  them  so  dangerous?      

  8. What   did   Jesus   mean   by   “fruit?”   How   would   the   fruit  of  false  teachers  identify  them?  

     

  If   they   are   so   dangerous,   why   are   we   tempted   to   follow  false  teachers?         7. How   do   you   spot   false   teachers   today?   Do   you   think   they  are  easier  or  harder  to  spot  than  in  the  New     Testament  time?  Why?          

    Fruit   trees   may   be   beautiful   but   they   have   as   their   primary   purpose   the   bearing   of   fruit,   and   so   they   are   judged  not  by  looks  but  by  fruit  produced.  Jesus  is  saying   that   in   the   same   way   a   prophet   or   anyone   who   speaks   for  God  is  to  be  judged  by  his  life  and  not  just  by  his  lips   (words).   Just   as   a   genuine   fruit   tree   cannot   keep   from   being   revealed   by   its   fruit,   the   nature   of   the   prophet  cannot   help   being   revealed.   Jesus   is   making   it   quite  clear  that  although  false  prophets  will  come,  we  do   not   have   to   be   deceived   by   them   but   we   can   in   fact   accurately   identify  them   if   we   look   closely   at   their   "fruit."     On   the   other   hand,   the   implication   is   that   if   genuine   believers   fail   to   look   closely   at   the   "fruit"   of   a   prophet's  life,  they  can  be  ensnared  by  them.3      

 

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 The  Upside  Down  Kingdom  

Week  #  29    

9. While  this  passage  is  about  false  teachers  and  their  ways,  what  truths  can  we  glean  from  this  passage  about  true   and  false  followers  of  Christ?         What  does  fruit  look  like  in  the  life  of  the  believer?           10. How  good  are  you  at  spotting  inaccurate  teachings  that  subvert  solid  theology  that  pleases  and  honors  God?         11. What  is  the  difference  between  theological  nit-­‐picking  and  proper  doctrinal  examination?         12. What  are  the  “non-­‐negotiable”  truths  that  we  must  believe?  How  do  we  determine  what  we  fight  against  and  the   things  that  we  “agree  to  disagree”  about?         13. What   do   you   think   are   some   of   the   most   tempting   but   dangerous   false   teachings   about   Jesus   and   Christianity   today?     What  is  your  responsibility  as  a  Christian  when  you  encounter  such  teaching?       What  can  you  do  to  remain  true  to  Scripture  and  avoid  these  false  teachings?  

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 R.C.  Sproul,  False  Prophets  and  their  Fruits  From  Ligonier  Ministries,  the  teaching  fellowship  of  R.C.  Sproul.  All  rights  reserved.  Website:  www.ligonier.org     Disciple's  Study  Bible   3  www.preceptaustin.org   2  

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